Playstation TV: not ready for prime time
So, the Playstation TV was finally released a few days ago in the US. Sony put some huge emphasis on the features of the device, in particular the possibility to access the PS Vita catalog of game, the streaming library of Playstation Now games, and the remote play functionality that lets you play your PS4 in another room.
When the Playstation TV was released in Japan one year ago (it was then still named “Vita TV”), I reviewed the product and was majorly unsatisfied with it (my review here). The main issues of the Vita TV was that it failed as a “Vita”, and it failed as a “TV” box. Basically, both the gaming functionality and the media streaming features were sub par. I shared my fears that the Western Playstation TV might have the same issues that could be found on the Japanese vita TV, in an article entitled “Will the Playstation TV fix Vita TV’s mistakes?“. My concerns were around the small compatibility of Vita games with the Vita TV, and the lack of third party streaming applications support (youtube, Netflix, etc…)
Video, Media, Streaming
It turns out my concerns were accurate. At launch, the Playstation TV in the US does not support Netflix, Amazon Instant video, Hulu or even Youtube. Neither can you find mainstream audio streaming services such as spotify. In today’s world, where even the simplest $55 device supports pretty much every streaming service there is, it is not acceptable to enter the market with a set top box that has so few options.
It is not clear why the Playstation TV does not support these third party services. Was it rushed for launch? Are Sony running into contract issues with the companies creating these apps? (Netflix for example stated they have “no plan” tobring their service on the Playstation TV). Or is it a strange attempts on Sony’s side to push their own video on demand and music streaming (Music Unlimited) services?
The Playstation TV, as it is today, fails on the “TV” part, just like the vita TV did. For $100, it does not compete against even the simplest Android dongle, or the likes of Fire TV or Roku. It is more expensive and has overall less media features
How well do those work on the PS TV?
Games
The PS TV lets gamers play a subset of Vita games, PSP games, as well as PS One classics. Unfortunately, that library is quite limited, with less than 150 Vita games supported, about 80 Playstation Mobile games, 260 PSP Games, 130 PS One clasics, and about 125 PSP minis. Yes, one might argue that it’s about 700 games total, probably more than I’ll ever have the time to play in my life, but unfortunately that’s not enough to avoid frustration on the gamers end. In general, you don’t care that the device supports 150 vita games, if your 3 or 4 favorite games are not on the compatibility list.
Let’s focus on Vita games for example. Wikipedia says there are 799 Vita games on the Vita today. This means 18% of Vita games are compatible with the PS TV. In other words, when you buy a Vita game, you have 4 chances out of 5 that it will not work on the PS TV. It is important here once again to emphasize that when the device was announced, Sony’s CEO stated that the Playstation TV would support “most” Vita games. I’ll let you the judge to determine if 18% support is what you would classify as “most” in your vocabulary. It is also important to note that when the Vita TV was introduced in Japan one year ago, that ratio was 17%. This means there was no specific effort, in the course of one year, to increase the compatibility of Vita games with the PS TV. In other words, if your favorite Vita game does not work on the PS TV at launch, there are good chances it will never work on it.
The thing youll see most on #playstationtv pic.twitter.com/70bwIZrjSH
— Techni Myoko (@NeoTechni) October 14, 2014
As I mentioned when the Vita TV was out, a much cleverer move would have been from Sony to give users a warning that the game might not run properly, but let them run it anyway. In many, many cases, most of the “incompatible” games can actually be played on the Vita TV for the most part, if you ignore the gimmicks that require the touch screen or back touch pad. Worth mentioning here again, it is not like Sony prevents you from buying incompatible games in the first place, they just give you a warning at purchase time that the game might not work. They were two combinations they could have gone with: let you buy the game and let you play it (with a warning that it might not work properly); or prevent you from buying the game entirely. Instead they made the worst possible choice, letting you buy the game but not play it
As a result, the Playstation TV does not have a Vita library that is big enough to satisfy users. As I stated when I reviewed the Japanese Vita TV, the experience is great for Vita games that accept to run, but the poor compatibility ratio prevents this from making it a killer feature, and will generally lead to frustration. PS One, PSP, PSM games are anecdotal at this point. Playing PSP games on a HDTV is not a great experience, as I have stated in my Vita TV review last year.
PS Now, Remote Play
Playstation Now and PS4 remote play remain the main selling factors of the PSTV today. Unfortunately these 2 services are a bit of hit and miss. PS now’s main problem today is the pricing, too expensive to be reallyattractive for most gamers. You can check Fate6’s experience with PS Now here.
As far as PS4 remote play is concerned, many people are reporting speed issues, and overall the experience doesn’t feel great, just ok.
Conclusion
Just like when it was called the Vita TV, the Playstation TV is a perfect example of a great concept that is totally ruined by Sony’s inability to deliver properly on any front: The Playstation TV is bad as a TV box and does not compete against the Fire TV or the Roku. The game library is too limited and frustrating for people who actually would want to play vita games. The “exclusive” features such as PS Now and PS4 remote play feel overpriced and experimental respectively.
Bottom line is, my opinion on the PS TV hasn’t changed since my review of the Japanese release last year. When I posted my review and gave the device a note of 4 out of 10 (which by the way means exactly what it is: “below average”), people called me out for being too harsh for the device. I am glad today, while reading reviews from mainstream gadget sites, that “professionals” are in agreement today with what I called out a year ago.
Conclusion 2: Homebrew capability
For those of us interested in homebrew, it is worth mentioning that the Playstation TV, on its default firmware 3.20, runs a variety of PSP exploits that lets you enjoy emulators and PSP isos, turning the PS TV into a very acceptable emulation/homebrew machine. Among other things running through these exploits are gems such as the Final Fantasy Type 0 unofficial English translation, A variety of emulators, and a bunch of cool homebrews. Details here. For those who upgraded to the latest 3.30 firmware, there is also good hope at this point that a VHBL port will be made eventually.
Finally, the recent Webkit exploit was confirmed to be working on the PS TV, up to firmware 3.20 (not 3.30!)
So basically , the PS TV got BIGBANG KAMEHAMEHAED !
Yeah when both Vegito was hyped for the PSTV and charging up nonstop with overflowing super saiyan power before the release.. 🙂
Haha. Yeah both the Japanese as well as the English Funimation versions. 🙂
Best. Comment chain. Ever.
Great article.
As of my opinion PS TV’s best feature is the homebrews, though I guess there are other machines that can do just that.
The PPSSPP PSP emulator on Android is so much better then this, and you can also stream it to your tv, its free
Yea but it wont run as smooth as on vita.
I once read something about that the PSPemu inside the vita is not made by software but hardware.
Supposedly it’s like the ps4 with a seperate cpu for os. Supposedly the vita has a ps2 cpu that more like an atom for longer battery life.
so the vita media player a lot lockdown a bit maynly cuz the media manger.
PPSSPP in Android is too slow compared to TN-V on PS Vita and Vita TV!
just buy a used psp…the 3000 can play every single game on the tv…few weeks ago i installed tn-v on mine, but just because i had the patapon game for free, and it was installed on my vita.. when the new firmware came out, i updated it mine.. i like to watch netflix, hulu, and play online on my vita. i had a psp since 2005, and even gave away a year ago the one i had.. i didnt buy a vita to play psp games.
I have 2 Vita TVs. I use 1 as an (expensive) paperweight and another 1 perm hook up to my Sony Trinitron to play Marvel V Capcom 3 with my dog.
Same here until my vita tv gets activated it is a paper weight =D
can’t even play killzone or Sly cooper collection =[
I would use it as a media player.
ill use my vita tv as A backup on vita. save games.
It sucks as a media player – bad. A $34 Raspberry Pi running XMBC will easily destroy the VitaTv/PSTv, Roku, or just about most other media player systems. It can play every format of video VLC supports and unlimited hard drives. PSTv is not a good media center unless your in the Sony ecosystem. I cant get my Sony TV/BluRay equipment to play anything except low quality mpeg4 content.
So I was planning on getting a ps tv thought the new update for the PlayStation tv would let me use the vita as a remote control. But I guess would have to remote the ps4 then use the vita remote play for the ps4 I guess got to get a ps4 I guess maybe next month hopefully.
Is it possible to switch US PSTV’s region to Japan?
Yes, just activate it with a jp psn account.
Great, thanks for the info!
Yeah. Of course the only thing that works correctly on the Vita tv is the thing you have to pay for! And its not affordable either! I always thought how funny it was when sony thought it was a good idea to start charging full price for pc games on ps3 like Mass Effect games when I had already got them on my Pc years ago for waaayy less. Sony only care about money now!
It’s a company. Companies only care about money!
So its exactly what wololo predicted and what all the warning signs were pointing at, PlaystationTV is nothing more then a shitbox of no value other then to play the amazing Wagic on a big screen.
Well, a poor box for an expensive price, too deep restricted, no netflix, no youtube… heck you kidding me? For 30$ i can buy a raspberry pi or android box.. I dont undertestand why make this not finished box
when a cable vita to hdmi come?
My most favorite PSP games are the Valkyrie Chronicles 2 and 3. I have 2 for PSP (UMD disk thank you very much) and bought it on PSN. I love the game so I support it. I downloaded VC2 from PSN onto my PS TV and BOOM!!! was not supported. I then loaded it up in the exploit and it worked like a charm. What knuckle head at Sony is able to keep their job that games people buy can’t be played on their OFW. Where as people releasing their hard work and not being payed by Sony are making their systems worthwhile to own. I don’t get it.
So a vita tv with a psp.
If it would support PS Now streaming at library capacity then it would be pimp..good for kids though as is cheap and straight to the TV. I’m living that tablet life right now. Certain Apps/Games are free and top knotch graphics; playing Arkham,Iron Man 3 and Star Wars: Assault Team on mine….
I purchased one of these, Had it TN-V with Gladiator Begins, loaded with emulators, but returned it the next day after restoring it.
Its missing key features like listed above. I wanted a machine for emulators and this dont cut it. I want a Amazon fire TV, it supports more and i can run any emulator on android on this.
The PS4 streaming dont work because i only play online in real time. that second delay is the difference in getting shot, and with a PS4 next to it why bother?
This is a great system with potential but Sony being Sony did a half *** job releasing it unfinished. it runs a fraction of vita games, little media support. Sonys expensive memory cards, and so many options with a PC/Android/Amazon Fire TV does already why do i need this? i will be putting my money on a Amazon Fire TV and enjoy unlimited media and emulator support
too bad this Playstation TV didnt run android with vita support also, wow what a complete system.
IT
ONLY
DOES
SQUEEZE OUT MONEY
-$ony 😉
a little disappointed, but that is what I expect with SONY launch products. by copying my blacklisted games to pc it IS possible to copy GTA LCS and crash bandicoot as well as angrybirds (psp) to my PSTV. but the $100 convenience for not having to move my PS4 from game room to entertainment room and back for the FIBBAGE tournaments is almost worth it. over all I find it is not quite good enough for DRIVECLUB or BF4, but it does work well as a conversation piece
Jeez I’m tired of sony dropping the ball with their vita products… if this had netflix & other sorts of video streaming service right out of the box & some good marketing this could have built up the vita install base but with the product we got it seems like a missed opportunity. Also 18% of the vita games working at launch? idk how they could convince devs to patch their games to be compatible but that’s really unacceptable. I couldn’t care less about Playstation Now, I do not want to rent games I want to own them. just make a software backwards compatibility emulator for our ps4 sony please. (never going to happen)
Well ps4 got homebrew ps3 has ps2 backword capability. Think to dual boot a ps4 with ps3 os but Idont think the ps3 os can fit on the ps4 costume chip.